Quick Drive: 2008 Hyundai Accent

The Hyundai Accent is easily one of the most overlooked cars on the market. Not terribly surprising, since on the whole, the Accent is a fairly nondescript three-door hatch and sedan. However, Hyundai's entry-level offering is worthy of a closer look by anyone in the market for a small, inexpensive car.

The base Accent GS starts at under $11,000, which is as bargain-basement as it gets. It doesn't feel cheap, though, and I could detect no rattles or squeaks during my stint in an SE hatch model, although there's plenty of interior noise at freeway speeds. The interior is Spartan, but ergonomically sound. Material quality is about what you'd expect for 11 grand, but somehow still better than that of most airplanes. Unlike some of its competition, the Accent is simple and doesn't try to rebel and be different.On the road, the Accent's 110-horse four-banger isn't going to burn up any rubber, but it's reasonable for urban driving if you're rarely going past the 40-mph mark. Its EPA-rating of 27 mpg city is par for the class, giving up just two mpg to the Toyota Yaris. As with any three-door hatch, it's easy to maneuver and park, which is great in a city like Los Angeles.

Gearing is the Accent's weak point. The five-speed manual equipped model (a four-speed auto is also available) isn't set up well for freeway cruising, with fifth gear regularly cranking the engine to around 3500 rpm at 70 mph. With better gearing or an extra cog, the Accent's EPA-rating of 33 mpg highway could probably be brought closer to 40.The Accent SE we tested clocked in at close to $15,000. For that money, you get 16-inch alloy wheels, a strut tower brace, body-color door handles and mirrors, standard ABS, air-conditioning, power windows and door locks, rear-window wiper, and a 172-watt six-speaker stereo system, along with several other convenience features. Money well spent, and even at that price, the Accent doesn't give up much to the competition.

Accent SE is a gem. Shame that it's only recently that it's getting more exposure in comparos. Once it's tuned properly (Synth Oil, Filter, NGK's, Grounding Kit, AEM) it easily gets more than 110HP without budging the warranty and it's only 2500lbs. It skips over all that garbage Drive-By-Wire nonesense that other manufacturers are sipping up like Kool Aid and gives you less traction to tuck into a turn when you want and more traction to pull out of a turn when you decide rather than just giving the engine a bunch of unintuitive electronic commands. Thing pretty much takes the sport hatchback game that Honda started and takes it to the next level without compromising to electronic gizmos.
Now all it needs is a rear-disc brake dealer-install kit and it's perfect. Please Hyundai USA !

I was forced to rent a Hyundai Accent in Los Angeles for a week this past summer when my rental car agency ran out of cars. Although I wasn't happy about it, the Accent completely blew me away. It zipped around all of L.A. with pep, was stingy with gas, and provided me with surprising comfort for a B class car. It also looked and felt like a car worth far more than what it was worth. I was so impressed with the Accent, that the first thing I did when I returned home was, you guessed it, went out and bought one. Total purchase price for the hatchback was $11,300 inclusive of automatic transmission, air conditioning, and a really good stereo. I have had the car since September 09, and have had not one single complaint. Moreover, I love the way my hatchback looks. A very charming yet reliable car at a modest price that does everything I ask of it, and more. Best of all is the unsurpassed warranty supplied by Hyundai. This car is a winner!

I love my new '09 Ebony SE hatch. I've had it a month, and I wouldn't trade it for a Scion or a Fit...not even with a cash bonus. I had 12 cars on my short list, including the VW Rabbit and Mazda 3, and took four months to make up my mind. In the end I got the best bang for buck. It looks nice, handles beautifully, accelerates crisply, is very comfortable to travel. My SE came with satellite radio, B&M short-shifter, 16" alloy rims and fog-lamps, leather-wrapped wheel and shift knob and aux jack. I added the AEM intake, which is offered as an option, and it was worth it. I love this car, and have no regrets.

Show me where you can find a new Fit for $15,000 loaded with the same features of the Accent SE.The Fit is a great car, but it also has the markup of a Honda nameplate. Add that to the fact that it's hot right now, and you can't get one for $15,000.Hyundai quality is not what it was in the '90s. With cars like the Santa Fe, Veracruz, Sonata, Azera, and Genesis Sedan and Coupe, people will recognize quality (if they can get past the '90s sentiment and get into the dealership to see one for themselves.) Once you see for yourself, you can understand why the resale value will go up. Most Hyundais look better than anything comparable from Ford or Chevy. Seriously, would you pick an Aveo over this Accent?

I have had the 2007 SE version for over a year now and have to say "love it!!" I have compared it to the Yaris, Fit, Aveo, Civic, Corolla, etc. and dollar per dollar I have definitely gotten my money's worth. Being 6'4" and driving over 8,000 miles in it, I can say it's a joy to drive. I've done recent comparisons in the used cars for sale sections of papers and mags and have to say, I rarely see a high number of Hyundais or in particular an Accent for sale. I do see more of the cars I mentioned above in my comparison for sale. So that tells me Hyundai owners really like their cars enough to keep for such a long time that selling is last on the list of considerations when buying. Regarding the engine, I get enough pep out of it to get the job done. I mean keeping a car - any car within the speed limit is something we are supposed to do right? Well, hitting even 75/80 it makes less noise then those I mentioned above. Also getting around 36/38 mpg isn't bad either. Hyundais are great cars period.

it's a good car though. resale value will catch up once people realize hyundai builds quality cars that last. i would personally go for the rio. handsome car. i would think the mechanicals are the same as the accent.

but the thing is at at $15,000 you probably got power everything in this accent, while in the fit or yaris, it would be roll up windows and key in lock doors.but a local nissan dealer is selling loaded(for economy cars) versa for around that price, so i would say that yhea for the money, go and buy a versa instead.

The thing needs a new engine. Economy in something like this should push near 40mpg average. They do in Europe, and need to hear.Our Escort has a 2.0L engine with more power, same weight, and the 4-speed auto and is rated almost the same, and gives us 30mpg average.It is just so annoying to see cars a tab bigger like the Civic and Cobalt weighing more and having bigger engines being rated higher then small cars like this that could be awesome if they delivered.Maybe they could offer a sport model with the 1.6L with more power, but tweak it so that it also gets better fuel economy. Something like that should get 30mpg city, 40mpg hwy.